Seniors Are Using Uber for Transportation – Should You?

A recent article in Forbes discusses how there has been an increase in senior citizens using Uber. The author of the article is an Uber driver, and the first senior customer he had wanted a ride from LA to Chicago. While there are many more seniors using Uber, is it the best type of transportation for you?

What Is Uber?

Uber is a service that provides transportation. Think of it as a taxi service, but instead of getting into a cab, you get into someone’s personal car who works for the Uber company. This person does it on a freelance basis.

People interested in getting a ride with Uber will use an app on their smartphone to request a pick up. The destination is requested and the time of pick up.

When the system receives the request, it is dispatched to area Uber drivers, and someone claims it. The person will drive to where you are, pick up and be ready to take you wherever you want to go.

Why Seniors Love Uber

It can be difficult to find transportation when you’re senior citizen. If you don’t drive, you have to depend on friends and family members, and that’s not always possible. Not only that, you may find yourself feeling like a burden.

Taking a cab is always an option, but usually senior citizens aren’t too keen on that because they have experienced that and know that it can be pricey.

Senior centers offer transportation, but it can be difficult to get a ride when you need it. Many times, seniors end up waiting hours after their medical appointments to be picked up because there are so many people to transport.

Uber provides personalized service. Senior citizens can go where they want to go when they want to go. It’s easy.

The Problems with Uber

While Uber is convenient, it has some problems. If you look up reviews online, you’ll find a lot of people complaining that they were charged a high price for a short ride. This is because they have surge prices. The surge prices are based on how busy the service is at the time of your ride. If it’s a peak time, the company has the option of charging you a premium price. This can come as a major surprise when you receive the receipt.

That of course is another issue that doesn’t sit well with some seniors. The way Uber works is you give them your credit card number and then they charge you at the end of your ride. You don’t know how much you’re paying until a few minutes after you’ve used the service. Again, the amount you pay may end up being a stressful surprise.

The other problem is that Uber drivers aren’t background checked. The Uber system is quite similar to hitchhiking. The only difference is that instead of standing by the road with your thumb up, you use your finger on a smartphone to hitch a ride.

The technological nature of the business may not be ideal for many seniors. The customer service over the phone hasn’t received positive reviews. It seems as though they want to keep all communications and operations through the app. Only tech-savvy senior citizen may find this way of transportation good for them.

It’s an Option for Transportation

While Uber does have its downsides, it is still an option for transportation for seniors. It’s important for senior citizens to get out and engage themselves in activities to continue living their life. If that means using Uber to get to places, then at least it’s a way to that. Just be careful and be aware.

This post is written by Kendall Van Blarcom – a personal consultant. He is a senior helping seniors improve the quality of their life. If you are having some personal issues you need help with, consider contacting Kendall for a personal consulting session. He would love to list and provide you the support and guidance you need to make changes in your life so you can be safe, happy, and healthy.

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